Winterizing cover for above-the-ground swimming pool skimmer opening

ABSTRACT

A winterizing cover for the skimmer opening in the wall of an above-the-ground swimming pool is flat and plate-like in shape and dimensioned to overlap and engage the pool wall around the periphery of the opening. A plurality of bosses formed integrally with the cover project from the outer face of the overlapping portion of the cover, and an equal number of holes, corresponding with holes in the pool wall around the periphery of the opening, extend from the inner face of the cover into the bosses so that the holes extend beyond the thickness of the cover without penetrating the outer face so that a leak proof cover is provided that can be securely fastened to the pool wall.

limited States Patent 1 ,1 annuzzi, Er.

[5 4] WINTERIZING COVER FOR ABOVE- THE-GROUND SWIMMING POOL SKIMMER OPENING [76] Inventor: Frank Jannuzzi, Jr., 239 Maple Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ. 07060 22 Filed: Apr. 2, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 130,679

[51] Int. Cl. ..E04h 3/16, E04h 3/18 [58] Field of Search ..4/172, 172.19, 172.15, 4/l72.16,172.17,172.18;220/55 D, 55 A,

55 B, 55 F; 85/DIG. 2, 35; 151/7; 292/256 [111 3,733,621 51 May 22,1973

Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney-Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond [5 7] ABSTRACT A Winterizing cover for the skimmer opening in the wall of an above-the-ground swimming pool is flat and plate-like in shape and dimensioned to overlap and engage the pool wall around the periphery of the opening. A plurality of bosses formed integrally with the cover project from the outer face of the overlapping portion of the cover, and an equal number of holes, corresponding with holes in the pool wall around the periphery of the opening, extend from the inner face of the cover into the bosses so that the holes extend beyond the thickness of the cover without penetrating the outer face so that a leak proof cover is provided that can be securely fastened to the pool wall.

PATENTED MY 22 3 3, 733 621 SHEET 2 (1F 2 FRANK JANNUZZI, SR.

WINTERIZING COVER FOR ABOVE-THE-GROUND SWIMMING POOL SKIMMER OPENING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to above-the-ground swimming pools, and more particularly to a Winterizing cover for an opening located in the pool wall that accommodates the skimmer component of a pool waterconditioning system.

In conventional above-the-ground swimming pools an outer structural wall extends around the perimeter of the pool and is formed of a sheet material such as corrugated metal or fiberglass. An inner liner, formed of a suitable water-impermeable material, holds the pool water and is positioned within the outer wall. The outer wall provides the basic support for the waterfilled linear, and vertical columns spaced at suitable intervals around the outside of the pool wall support the upper rim of the pool.

Many types of filtering and chlorinating systems have been developed which. are adaptable for use with above-the-ground pools to clean and disinfect the water on a regular basis. Some systems simply have a hose or conduit that is dropped over the poolwall and into the water. This system has many disadvantages so that preferably the components of the pool waterconditioning system are attached to openings which pass through the pool wall and inner liner. One of the components which is normally connected to the pool wall in this manner is a skimmer, the opening for which is usually located along the preferred water level of the pool so that leaves, bugs and other debris floating on the surface of the water can be removed. In some types of Skimmers the housing contains a chlorinating unit for disinfecting the pool water at the same time it is being cleaned.

During the winter months, it is desirable for obvious reasons to remove the skimmer as well as the other parts of the water-conditioning system from the pool wall and store them indoors. However, most above-theground pools are designed so that they can be kept outdoors during that time of year so that the pool does not have to be dismantled and then reassembled the following summer. Preferably the water is left in the pool during the winter months, mainly to protect the plastic inner liner from becoming damaged. Thus, a suitable Winterizing cover for the skimmer opening that is leakproof, and preferably simple to install and inexpensive to purchase is a highly useful device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided, in accordance with the invention, a novel and unique Winterizing cover for the skimmer opening in the wall of an above-the-ground swimming ool. p More specifically, the cover is flat and plate-like in shape and formed of a rigid material such as plastic, although other rigid water-impermeable materials can be used. The cover has a shape that conforms generally to the shape of the skimmer opening, which is normally rectangular, but the margin of the cover extends beyond the perimeter of the opening on all sides and overlaps the pool wall around the opening so that the cover can engage the pool wall and be attached to it in a way that prevents leakage from occuring around the edges of the cover.

A plurality of bosses integral with the cover project from the surface of the cover that faces outwardly when the cover is in place on the pool wall. The bosses are spaced around the portion of the cover that overlaps the wall, and an equal number of holes extend through the other face (the inner face) and into the plate and the bosses, thereby providing screw holes of a sufficient length for securely attaching the cover to the pool wall without having them penetrate the outer face of the cover or having to waste material by making the cover of a greater thickness just to accommodate the holes. The holes coincide with at least a portion of the holes located in the pool wall around the periphery of the skimmer opening so that the same holes used for fastening the skimmer to the wall can be used for fastening the cover. The holes in the cover are preferably not threaded so that self-tapping screws can be used for attaching the cover to the wall more securely, but threaded holes can also be provided for use with machine screws. The holes can, if desired, be lined with a threaded metal plug.

After the skimmer component has been removed from the pool wall, the cover is positioned with its inner face adjacent the outer surface of the wall. A gasket can be interposed between the wall and the cover so that a leak-proof fit is provided. Screws of a suitable size are then inserted from inside the pool, through the holes in the wall and into the holes in the cover. A face plate with holes coinciding with holes in the pool wall and cover can be positioned adjacent the liner that holds the pool water to prevent the liner from being damaged by the screws, and a gasket can be interposed between the face plate and the liner.

By providing the cover with the bosses described above, the cover can be firmly secured to the pool wall, the screws engaging a relatively large surface area within the holes because they extend a substantial distance (relative to the thickness of the cover) beyond the outer face of the cover. Moreover, the holes do not penetrate the outer face of the cover, which they would if the bosses were not provided. In this way, there is no chance of water leaking through the holes, which could occur if, for example, the holes penetrated the outer wall of the cover and bolts were passed through the holes and nuts were threaded onto the outer ends of the bolts. Moreover, the screws are completely enclosed in the holes and thereby protected from rusting or corroding, and ensuring that there will be no difficulty in removing them in the spring.

Thus, there is provided a Winterizing cover for the skimmer opening in the wall of an above-the-ground swimming pool that has the advantages of being essentially leak-proof and able to be firmly secured to the pool wall with ease and then removed when the pool is recommissioned. The cover is constructed so that it can be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description of an exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a portion of the wall of an above-the-ground swimming pool to which is attached one type of water-conditioning system which has a skimmer component, a'portion of the upper railing of the pool wall and the skimmer component being broken away so that the attachment between the skimmer and the pool wall is shown with greater clarity;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the upper portion of the pool wall shown in FIG. 1, with the pool waterconditioning system removed from the wall, showing the Winterizing cover installed over the skimmer open- FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the Winterizing cover looking primarily at its inner face; and

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a part of the pool wall, the section being taken generally along a plane represented by the lines 44, of FIG. 2, and in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the winterizing cover in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a portion of the wall of an above-theground swimming pool where a pool waterconditioning system is installed. The wall is composed of a structural layer 11 of a rigid material, such as corrugated sheet metal, and an inner linear 12 of a flexible plastic film or other suitable water-impermeable material, the outer edge of which is turned over the upper end of the wall 10 and is secured in place on it by means ofa coping 14. The inner liner 12 holds the pool water while the wall 11 provides, in conjunction with a framing system, the structural support for the waterfilled liner 12. The pool also has an upper deck or seat 16 and vertical columns 18 that back up the wall and carry loads imposed on the deck 16. A bottom rail 20 extends around the lower perimeter of the wall 10 and maintains the shape of the bottom of the pool.

In the form depicted in the drawings, the pool wall 10 has two openings for connection to components of the pool water-conditioning system, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the number and disposition of openings can be varied to accommodate any of a variety of water-conditioning systems that can be used with the pool. The system shown in FIG. 1 has a skimmer 22 attached to the wall 10 around an opening 24 (see the broken-away portion of the skimmer 22) which is located near the top of the pool and along the preferred water level so that leaves, bugs and other debris floating on the water surface can be removed.

The skimmer 22 is connected by a pipe 26 to a pump and filter, which are shown schematically as a single unit and designated by reference numeral 28. Water is withdrawn from the pool through the outlet opening 24, and passes through the skimmer 22 and the conduit 26 into the filter. The filtered water is then pumped through a pipe 32 back into the pool through an inlet opening 30. The skimmer 22 usually has a screen and may have a chlorinating device, the screen for removing large particles which tend to clog the filter and the chlorinator for disinfecting the water.

Because the opening 24 is located along the pool water level and not completely below it, in order to withdraw enough water from the pool for effective treatment, the opening 24 should be relatively large compared to the inlet opening 30. A skimmer opening 24 having a rectangular shape to correspond with the shape of the mouth of the skimmer component 22, as best shown by the broken lines in FIG. 2, has been found to produce excellent results, but openings of other shapes to correspond with other types of skimmers can be provided.

FIG. 2 shows the pool wall 10 after the waterconditioning equipment has been removed, with the openings 24 and 30 being covered to prevent the pool water from escaping. A plug 34 can be used to seal the inlet opening 30, but because of the shape and size of the skimmer opening 24 a conventional cover is not adequate.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the skimmer opening 24 is closed and sealed by a cover 36 which is flat and platelike in shape and conforms generally to the rectangular shape of the opening 24, but each of the edges of the cover 36 extend beyond the periphery of the opening 24 and overlap the pool wall 10, preferably to an extent coextensive with or greater than the overlap between a gasket (described below) and the wall, so that the cover 36 can be attached to the wall 10. A plurality of bosses 38 formed integrally with the cover 36 project from its outer face and are located at appropriate places along the marginal portion of the cover 36 that overlaps the pool wall 10.

A plurality of holes 40, coinciding with the bosses 38, extend from the inner face of the cover 36 (see FIG. 3), through it and into the bosses 38 (see FIG. 4). The holes 40 are preferably not threaded (to lower manufacturing cost and to ensure secure attachment) and self-tapping screws 42 are used to attach the cover to the wall 10. The holes 40 are bosses 38 should be positioned so that they coincide with holes in the wall 10 that are used for attaching the skimmer 22 and new holes do not have to be formed in the wall 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cover 36 is preferably attached to the outer surface of the wall 10, and a gasket 44 is interposed between the wall 10 and the cover 36. A face plate 46 is provided on the inner surface of the pool adjacent the liner 12 so that the heads of the screws 42 do not damage the linear 12, and a gasket 48 is preferably interposed between the face plate 44 and the liner 12. In this way, an essentially leak-proof winterizing cover 36 for the skimmer opening 24 is provided which can easily and quickly be attached to the pool wall 10. The inner face plate 44 and the gaskets are preferably the same ones that are used with the skimmer, and it is both unnecessary and undesirable to remove them when removing the skimmer and installing the cover, since to do so could result in damage to them or the pool liner and might also cause leakage problems. It is thus a further advantage of the cover that it is constructed for installation of the outside of the wall and is installed without dismantling the gaskets.

The cover is preferably made of a high density, rigid plastic by injection molding or casting, but other materials and methods (e.g., aluminum casting) can, of course, be used.

The embodiment of the Winterizing cover described above is intended to be merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will be able to make numerous variations and modifications of it without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an above-the-ground swimming pool of the type that has a structural pool wall extending around the perimeter of the pool, and a water-impermeable inner liner disposed within the pool wall for holding the pool water, at least one opening passing through the wall and liner, the opening being shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the skimmer component of a pool water-conditioning system, the improvement comprising a cover for said skimmer opening, the cover having a flat plate-like shape and being dimensioned so that the margin of the cover extends beyond the skimmer opening so that the cover overlaps the pool wall around the entire periphery of the opening, a plurality of bosses projecting from one face of the cover, the bosses being spaced along the portion of the cover that overlaps the pool wall, and a plurality of holes in the other face of the cover, the holes coinciding with the bosses and extending through the cover and into the bosses.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein each of the holes has an inner surface that is not threaded and further comprising self-tapping screws attaching the cover to the pool wall.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the skimmer opening and the cover are both generally rectangular in shape, and the pool wall has a plurality of holes therein spaced around the periphery of the skimmer opening which are used for attaching the skimmer component to the wall, the holes in the cover coinciding with .at least some of the holes in the wall.

4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said one side of the cover is positioned adjacent the outer surface of the pool wall, a first gasket is interposed between the cover and the wall, a face plate is positioned adjacent the inner liner, a second gasket is interposed between the face plate and the inner liner, the face plate liner, pool wall and said first and second gaskets each have holes therein coinciding with said holes in the cover, and screws are inserted through the coinciding holes for attaching the cover to the pool wall. 

1. In an above-the-ground swimming pool of the type that has a structural pool wall extending around the perimeter of the pool, and a water-impermeable inner liner disposed within the pool wall for holding the pool water, at least one opening passing through the wall and liner, the opening being shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the skimmer component of a pool water-conditioning system, the improvement comprising a cover for said skimmer opening, the cover having a flat plate-like shape and being dimensioned so that the margin of the cover extends beyond the skimmer opening so that the cover overlaps the pool wall around the entire periphery of the opening, a plurality of bosses projecting from one face of the cover, the bosses being spaced along the portion of the cover that overlaps the pool wall, and a plurality of holes in the other face of the cover, the holes coinciding with the bosses and extending through the cover and into the bosses.
 2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein each of the holes has an inner surface that is not threaded and further comprising self-tapping screws attaching the cover to the pool wall.
 3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the skimmer opening and the cover are both generally rectangular in shape, and the pool wall has a plurality of holes therein spaced around the periphery of the skimmer opening which are uSed for attaching the skimmer component to the wall, the holes in the cover coinciding with at least some of the holes in the wall.
 4. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said one side of the cover is positioned adjacent the outer surface of the pool wall, a first gasket is interposed between the cover and the wall, a face plate is positioned adjacent the inner liner, a second gasket is interposed between the face plate and the inner liner, the face plate liner, pool wall and said first and second gaskets each have holes therein coinciding with said holes in the cover, and screws are inserted through the coinciding holes for attaching the cover to the pool wall. 